Imagining a City Where Everything You Need is Just 15 Minutes Away

Following up on our previous article on The Promise of Micro-Community Housing where we focused on sustainable living on a micro-level, let's now take a look at the concept of 15-minute cities. This model is a transformative urban development model that integrates sustainability, accessibility, and community well-being on a macro level. This article is tailored to focus on the built environment aspects, supported by urban planning elements affecting it.

15-Minute Cities: A Sustainable Vision for the Built Environment

This model envisions communities where essential services—education, healthcare, retail, workspaces, and recreation—are accessible within a 15-minute walk or bike ride. By focusing on reshaping the built environment, this approach prioritizes human needs while addressing urban inequalities and climate goals.

Transforming the Built Environment

In order to effectively integrate this concept, a 15-minute city vision should first be developed in collaboration with the local community. Its core principles should cover the following areas:

Complete Neighborhoods The backbone of a 15-minute city lies in its "completeness." This involves redesigning neighborhoods to include schools, clinics, grocery stores, parks, and local workplaces. These spaces are strategically located to ensure accessibility and reduce the dependence on long commutes. However, ensuring equitable distribution is critical, as underserved areas often lack such amenities.

From example, Kounkuey Design Initiative (KDI) worked hand in hand with the residents and community partners of an identified section in Kibera, Nairobi, conducting numerous community workshops with residents and the community partners to prioritize needs, create design solutions, and explore micro-enterprise opportunities at the site. The resulting project design includes: a poultry farm; an improved drainage channel; flood control; a community center to house a school and health clinic; kiosks; and a playground constructed from locally sourced lumber and recycled metal.

Improved Public Transportation Connection This might mean adding connecting bus routes through underserved neighbourhoods, improving the density of bus stops and increasing the speed and frequency of service, including by upgrading bus systems. The Colombian city of Medellín has built a transportation system that brings together the formal and informal cities, enhances street life, and contributes to social cohesion through the Medellin Metrocable.

Affordable and Inclusive Housing To prevent displacement and foster inclusivity, housing developments must be integrated with affordable options. Policies promoting mixed-income housing and utilizing vacant lots for community use can reinforce equity while enhancing local resilience.

An unsafe, run down, polluted, and a magnet for crime space in Kibera, Nairobi was upgraded by leveling the field so that it is fit to play on, improved the drainage system, and started programming the space with concerts and other events. This has fostered social cohesion and a sense of community in a space that was considered to be a waste.

Adaptive Infrastructure Post-pandemic adaptations like widened sidewalks, outdoor dining spaces, and expanded bike lanes have showcased how urban environments can quickly pivot to prioritize pedestrian and cyclist needs. Incorporating green infrastructure—such as rooftop gardens and permeable pavements—into buildings further aligns urban growth with sustainability

Inclusive Community Engagement Residents and businesses should be invited to participate in the design and selection of local projects to be undertaken. Steps to be taken to ensure that the opportunity to shape the vision reaches everyone ? particularly low-income and marginalised communities and local small and medium-sized enterprises.

An example of such participation is seen in cities like Paris, where 10% of the City’s spending is determined by participatory budgeting processes at neighbourhood level.

Streets and Mobility: Shaping Connections

Redesigning streets to favor pedestrians and cyclists over vehicles is central to the 15-minute city vision. For example:

• Reclaiming parking spaces for community hubs or green corridors.
• Expanding shaded pathways and bike-sharing stations to encourage active mobility
• Moreover, integrating digital connectivity into the urban fabric enhances efficiency. High-speed internet and smart systems enable flexible work arrangements, reducing reliance on centralized office spaces.

Global Success Stories

Cities like Paris, Melbourne, and Bogotá are pioneering this model:

Paris's Paris’ vision for a 15-minute city prioritises proximity to urban functions. The city is actively developing neighbourhoods based on proximity, density, diversity, and equality. The idea is that Paris neighbourhoods should contain six functions: housing, employment, education, healthcare, shopping, and entertainment. Notable projects include “Ville du quart d'heure” initiative, revitalizing local plazas and improved transit systems.

Bogotá's extensive cycling network expansion during the pandemic highlighted how rapid infrastructure upgrades can support sustainable urban mobility. Since 2020, Bogotá has adopted the concept of Barrios Vitales (‘Vibrant Neighbourhoods’) based on the concept of a 30-minute city. The rationale behind the concept is to enable a fairer distribution of road space, prioritising cycling, walking, and public transportation to ensure that residents do not incur high costs and long travel times when commuting.

Conclusion: A Vision for People and the Planet

The 15-minute city is more than an urban planning strategy; it is a holistic vision to reimagine how built environments serve people. By integrating sustainable practices into every aspect—from housing to mobility—it promises healthier, happier, and more equitable communities.